Popular Nigerian comedian and entertainer, Ayo Makun, better known as AY, has revealed that the cost of featuring top Nigerian music stars at comedy shows has risen sharply, with some artistes now demanding as much as N200 million for an appearance.
AY made the disclosure while discussing the changing financial demands of booking artistes for his popular entertainment event, AY Live.
The comedian recalled that some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars, including Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage and Olamide, had performed at AY Live over the years.
According to him, securing the artistes in the early days of the show was considerably easier, with personal relationships and friendships often helping to facilitate their appearances.
“For many years, since the beginning of AY Live, Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Olamide have all performed at AY Live,” he said.
AY explained that artistes previously accepted relatively modest payments, mainly to cover logistics and other expenses.
However, he said the rapid growth of Nigeria’s music industry and the international success of its leading performers had significantly changed the situation.
“In those days, many appearances were made possible through friendship. An artiste would accept any reasonable amount to cover their logistics, but today, the Nigerian musicians charge N200 million, N120 million, N80 million to appear on my show,” he said.
Global Success Has Changed Artistes’ Value
AY attributed the rising appearance fees to the expanding global profile of Nigerian musicians.
He noted that artistes now have several lucrative revenue streams, including music streaming, international endorsements and business opportunities that generate income in foreign currencies.
“The industry has changed. Today, the Nigerian musicians are global stars. They earn from streaming, international endorsements and several other opportunities that come in foreign currencies,” he said.
The comedian added that the development meant major artistes no longer depended on comedy shows as a major avenue for publicity.
Even Upcoming Artistes Are Expensive
AY said the high cost of booking artistes was not limited to established stars.
According to him, some emerging musicians who are yet to achieve mainstream success are also demanding substantial appearance fees.
“Even the upcoming artists wey never blow dey ask for N80 million,” he said.
The comedian, however, noted that personal connections could still make a significant difference when trying to secure performers for entertainment events.
“The reality is that if you don’t have a strong personal relationship with any of these artists, bringing them to a comedy show can really be expensive,” AY said.
AY Live Combines Comedy, Music
AY Live is an entertainment platform founded by AY Makun that brings together stand-up comedy, live music performances and other forms of entertainment.
Over the years, the event has featured several prominent Nigerian entertainers, reflecting the close relationship between the country’s comedy and music industries.
AY’s comments highlight how the growing international value of Nigerian music has also transformed the economics of live entertainment, with established and emerging artistes commanding significantly higher fees for stage appearances.
